Music Is Medicine

If I can help change the world, so can you.

I had nearly finished my sophomore year of a modern Orthodox Jewish day school, and my sister, Ariela, had just finished her junior year of college at Johns Hopkins University. And before us stood three months of endless, beautiful, anything-can-happen summer.

“Work on this music project with me,” she said, while I was still drowning in Tanach and algebra finals. “It’ll be fun.”

I looked at her curiously, paused only for a moment, and then shrugged. “Sure, sounds good.”

Little did I know that my quick, halfhearted agreement would change my life.

The Hackerman-Patz House is a residential house in our hometown of Baltimore, Maryland for children who come across the globe to receive limb-lengthening surgeries and therapies. That summer, we allowed the patients to select themes for songs to be written and recorded in their honor. The album was entitled A Friend Like You and contained songs of hope and inspiration for incredible children who face unimaginable challenges each and every day. For children who inspired me to appreciate the little things in my life, we returned the favor and wrote songs of inspiration for them.

My sister entered medical school and I went on to produce a second album the following summer entitled When You Wish On a Star. One song in particular – Trapped in Her World – remains ingrained in my mind. The chorus reads:

She’d never fly, she’d never soar
Past her doubts and her cries
Past her tears and lies that she’d never win
So inside she would sit
Waiting for Romeo and Juliet to have a happy ever after
And dreaming that someday she’d be a girl who wasn’t trapped in her world.

I first met the girl that inspired this song when she was 11 and I had been volunteering at the facility with a friend before starting high school. A brown teddy bear subtly covered her prosthetic leg, her small frame sat in a wheelchair, and she was consumed by shyness and trapped by her hardship. Three years later I returned with Music is Medicine – the title of our program – and she had transformed into a liberated, optimistic soul. She was no longer trapped in her world.

I am currently creating a third album for children at the Hackerman-Patz House entitled Welcome to My Beautiful Life that I hope to complete before my sophomore year of college.

Going National

Nine months ago I entered my freshman year at Princeton. I entered a whirlwind of change and self-exploration and, simply put, confusion. Music is Medicine was on the backburner. It was a childhood pastime. Now it was time to face the future. Adulthood. Maturity. Inorganic chemistry.

But my lackadaisical attitude towards my “high school hobby” didn’t last long. Within weeks, my newly-established social circle had somehow discovered I had this little music community-service project in high school and, for some reason they became passionate about it. They wanted to learn more, and some wanted to get involved. I knew that I had to continue Music is Medicine.

I set out to turn Music is Medicine into a national powerhouse.

I went on to recruit a team of classmates to revolutionize the organization with me. We weren’t just aiming to create a local chapter at a nearby hospital; we were aiming for national expansion. Amidst balancing my coursework and my position as Religious Life chair of the student-run Jewish Orthodox group on campus, I set out to turn Music is Medicine into a national powerhouse. I researched effective nonprofit marketing strategies, began construction of a website, and scavenged for grants and funding resources. I was passionate about my cause and willing to do everything and anything to turn my change-the-world dreams into a reality.

As visions of Music is Medicine chapters emerging across the country swirled in my mind, everything changed on March 25, 2011. I was selected to attend a week-long conference in New York City for teenagers across the globe with projects that promote a more peaceful society. The Just Peace Summit named 31 teenagers “Global Teen Leaders” and provided weeklong training in nonprofit management and access to resources and support previously unimaginable to many of us in our quest to make the world a better place. I now had a network of mentors supporting my vision for change, a group of friends with passions identical to mine with whom I maintain contact on a daily basis, and, most importantly, newfound confidence.

During the past year, I have been contacted by teens nationwide wanting to start chapters, and I have created a summer internship program to invite students from across the country to help run the national organization. Now, I am working on a new project that involves professional artists and bands from across the United States. TheDonate a Song Project will produce a charity album of songs written and performed by artists of various genres who will travel to a children’s wing of a hospital and write a song of inspiration in response to their experience. God willing, a compilation of 8-10 songs will be released in an album that will be sold nationwide to raise money for medical charities.

The Donate a Song Project has the potential to change lives. To fund this effort, Music is Medicine is competing for one of ten $50,000 Pepsi Refresh Grants for the month of June. You can vote once a day at www.refresheverything.com/musicismed through June 30 to help us make music that makes a difference in the lives of children in need.

Everyone Can Fix the World

I wake up every morning eternally grateful. God has given us the wonderful ability to impact someone else’s life. To make someone smile. To brighten their day and lighten their hardship. We all possess various interests and skills, and we all equally possess the ability to better our beautifully imperfect world. Beautiful because of the flaws that motivate us to give to others.

We all have the ability to change someone else’s life.

Tikun Olam – Fixing the World. Our Torah teaches us this simple idea, but we constantly take it for granted. Each time I make a sick child smile with my music my heart warms, and the world, for that one, shining moment, is perfect. I don’t need to aspire for Music is Medicine to become the “new Red Cross.” I only need to continue living a life in which each decision I make is driven by a desire to do good. And at the end of the day, even if I don’t win $50,000 to allow artists like Taylor Swift and the Jonas Brothers to record charity songs for children in hospitals, I know that my life is still worthwhile.

I’m anything but super girl. I'm just your average teenage girl. But when you think about it, we all have the ability to change someone else’s life. We’re all made in the image of God, and we’re all extraordinary in our own perfectly unique way.

About the Author

Visitor Comments: 13

(10)
Daniel,
January 5, 2014 6:19 PM

Fantastic Ideas

Leora, Your ideas and and heartfelt music are an inspiration to us all. As a professional violinist, I agree with you that your talent has the enormous power to heal and lift the soul. I wish you success in your endeavors and keep up the good work. Should you be interested, I run a monthly podcast on the website of my talent agency called Maestro Musicians (See http://maestromusicians.com/category/podcasts/). I would love to interview you. With your permission, if Aish could be so kind as to put us in touch by e mail or phone, perhaps we can set aside some time to help you publicize your project.

Daniel

Leora Friedman,
June 19, 2014 5:04 AM

Hi Daniel,

So sorry for the late reply! I just saw your message. Thank you so much for your kind words! I would be happy to speak with you. Please feel free to email me at info@musicismed.org.

All my best,Leora

(9)
fran,
August 5, 2011 9:31 PM

.wonderful

spoken with a maturity way beyond her years; how wonderful to hear a young lady who is not totally wrapped up in her self. may the Lord greatly multiply this vocation.

(8)
MAUREEN,
June 23, 2011 12:22 PM

GREAT

FWD. TO MY 6 GRANDKIDS

(7)
Aaron,
June 23, 2011 6:31 AM

modern day David Hamelech

In sefer Shmuel, David played his harp to help "cure" people from bad feelings. Keep up the good work Leora.

(6)
Trudy Wellen,
June 21, 2011 12:38 AM

The world needs more people like Leora!

I will vote for this program. I have seen the power in music. Leora you are wonderful. Keep going with this program. Trudy Wellen St. Louis, Mo.

(5)
Yehudit,
June 20, 2011 6:57 PM

Wonderful ! FANTASTIC !

Both the article and the concept are wonderful and FANTASTIC ! I would say "How do you find the time?" but I know better. As my rabbi says, "If you're really determined to do something, nothing at all can stand in your way." Especially when it's giving hope and fun to sick children. Music speaks to the soul.
Yasher koach ! ! !

(4)
Anonymous,
June 20, 2011 4:56 PM

Thank you

Truly inspirational, and good reminder of our power to impact the world when we really want to.

(3)
Anonymous,
June 19, 2011 6:46 PM

Are her songs available with male singers only?

As an orthodox male, I do not listen to female singers (except my wife, my mother, my daughter and my sister before she married. I am intrigued by the focus of these albums and would like to listen to the songs, if sung by male singers only. (My wife has written songs that have been bought by jewish singers and received credits - using her initials for tznius reasons - and sung by men. She has also written songs to be sung for women's tzedoko fund raising events, sometimes putting togetter slide shows to correspond to the song's theme.) If they are available for purchase, sung by men only, please let me know where to purchase them. If not, please encourage Miss Friedman to look into re-recording the songs, sung by men. Thank you

Sarah Dinah,
June 21, 2011 4:33 AM

Maybe the lyrics and written music are available?

Perhaps Ms. Friedman could release the lyrics and written music for her songs with the proper credit given to her?

Leora Friedman,
July 4, 2011 11:51 PM

Dear Anonymous,
Thank you for your comment and interest in learning more about our program and listening to our songs! As of now, we have no recorded music sung by males. Though we have chapters being created by males, so in the near future this may change. However, if you'd like to see lyrics as suggested, I would be more than happy to share them with you if you provide me with your email address. For women or those who do not adhere to "kol isha," we will be releasing an album onto iTunes this summer to benefit the Save a Limb Fund. Your wife's work sounds wonderful; please reach out to us if she or any other songwriters or musicians you know would like to get involved in our program.
Best,
Leora

(2)
Devorah Deutsch,
June 19, 2011 2:43 PM

HaKores HaTov for this inspring article

Nine weeks ago today I was undergoing surgery for a fractured hip and have been confined to using a wheelchair and/or a walker. I cannot put any pressure on my injured leg, as the healing process had not yet begun as of two weeks ago. As a basically active person, I have been given the challenge of having to depend on others in ways that have made me feel quite helpless. I cannot go out of the house without someone helping me down the stairs, into the car, out of the car, putting on my stockings, shoes, etc.
Basically, I have been "housebound" and having to spend many hours a day alone.
Today it finally started to "get to me" and I was feeling very down and anxious about the long haul I have ahead of me before I will be able to walk on my own.
Then, I read your article and realized how fortunate I am that my situation is only temporary. It may take several more weeks before I can walk again, but I have hope and know that it will happen -- maybe later than sooner -- but it will happen. Your story helped wake me up to appreciate all the gifts I have and all that I CAN do.
For now, I'll have to be patient and wait. For those who don't have the same prognosis, I pray that each and every one will have a complete and speedy recovery.
We must have HaKores HaTov for every gift H'Shem gives us. Thanks for helping me to see all of mine.
Keep up your incredible work. May you blessed with a life filled with lots of simcha, hatzlacha and bracha.

(1)
Mindy Dickler,
June 19, 2011 1:16 PM

Proud of you

Wow! I am so proud of you and your efforts. I admire your talent and your passion and your drive to make our world a better place, especially for children facing such health challenges. Your project impacts so many people. l bet the givers are receiving more than the recipients! Kol Hakavod!

I just got married and have an important question: Can we eat rice on Passover? My wife grew up eating it, and I did not. Is this just a matter of family tradition?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The Torah instructs a Jew not to eat (or even possess) chametz all seven days of Passover (Exodus 13:3). "Chametz" is defined as any of the five grains (wheat, spelt, barley, oats, and rye) that came into contact with water for more than 18 minutes. Chametz is a serious Torah prohibition, and for that reason we take extra protective measures on Passover to prevent any mistakes.

Hence the category of food called "kitniyot" (sometimes referred to generically as "legumes"). This includes rice, corn, soy beans, string beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, mustard, sesame seeds and poppy seeds. Even though kitniyot cannot technically become chametz, Ashkenazi Jews do not eat them on Passover. Why?

Products of kitniyot often appear like chametz products. For example, it can be hard to distinguish between rice flour (kitniyot) and wheat flour (chametz). Also, chametz grains may become inadvertently mixed together with kitniyot. Therefore, to prevent confusion, all kitniyot were prohibited.

In Jewish law, there is one important distinction between chametz and kitniyot. During Passover, it is forbidden to even have chametz in one's possession (hence the custom of "selling chametz"). Whereas it is permitted to own kitniyot during Passover and even to use it - not for eating - but for things like baby powder which contains cornstarch. Similarly, someone who is sick is allowed to take medicine containing kitniyot.

What about derivatives of kitniyot - e.g. corn oil, peanut oil, etc? This is a difference of opinion. Many will use kitniyot-based oils on Passover, while others are strict and only use olive or walnut oil.

Finally, there is one product called "quinoa" (pronounced "ken-wah" or "kin-o-ah") that is permitted on Passover even for Ashkenazim. Although it resembles a grain, it is technically a grass, and was never included in the prohibition against kitniyot. It is prepared like rice and has a very high protein content. (It's excellent in "cholent" stew!) In the United States and elsewhere, mainstream kosher supervision agencies certify it "Kosher for Passover" -- look for the label.

Interestingly, the Sefardi Jewish community does not have a prohibition against kitniyot. This creates the strange situation, for example, where one family could be eating rice on Passover - when their neighbors will not. So am I going to guess here that you are Ashkenazi and your wife is Sefardi. Am I right?

Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Moses ben Nachman (1194-1270), known as Nachmanides, and by the acronym of his name, Ramban. Born in Spain, he was a physician by trade, but was best-known for authoring brilliant commentaries on the Bible, Talmud, and philosophy. In 1263, King James of Spain authorized a disputation (religious debate) between Nachmanides and a Jewish convert to Christianity, Pablo Christiani. Nachmanides reluctantly agreed to take part, only after being assured by the king that he would have full freedom of expression. Nachmanides won the debate, which earned the king's respect and a prize of 300 gold coins. But this incensed the Church: Nachmanides was charged with blasphemy and he was forced to flee Spain. So at age 72, Nachmanides moved to Jerusalem. He was struck by the desolation in the Holy City -- there were so few Jews that he could not even find a minyan to pray. Nachmanides immediately set about rebuilding the Jewish community. The Ramban Synagogue stands today in Jerusalem's Old City, a living testimony to his efforts.

It's easy to be intimidated by mean people. See through their mask. Underneath is an insecure and unhappy person. They are alienated from others because they are alienated from themselves.

Have compassion for them. Not pity, not condemning, not fear, but compassion. Feel for their suffering. Identify with their core humanity. You might be able to influence them for the good. You might not. Either way your compassion frees you from their destructiveness. And if you would like to help them change, compassion gives you a chance to succeed.

It is the nature of a person to be influenced by his fellows and comrades (Rambam, Hil. De'os 6:1).

We can never escape the influence of our environment. Our life-style impacts upon us and, as if by osmosis, penetrates our skin and becomes part of us.

Our environment today is thoroughly computerized. Computer intelligence is no longer a science-fiction fantasy, but an everyday occurrence. Some computers can even carry out complete interviews. The computer asks questions, receives answers, interprets these answers, and uses its newly acquired information to ask new questions.

Still, while computers may be able to think, they cannot feel. The uniqueness of human beings is therefore no longer in their intellect, but in their emotions.

We must be extremely careful not to allow ourselves to become human computers that are devoid of feelings. Our culture is in danger of losing this essential aspect of humanity, remaining only with intellect. Because we communicate so much with unfeeling computers, we are in danger of becoming disconnected from our own feelings and oblivious to the feelings of others.

As we check in at our jobs, and the computer on our desk greets us with, "Good morning, Mr. Smith. Today is Wednesday, and here is the agenda for today," let us remember that this machine may indeed be brilliant, but it cannot laugh or cry. It cannot be happy if we succeed, or sad if we fail.

Today I shall...

try to remain a human being in every way - by keeping in touch with my own feelings and being sensitive to the feelings of others.

With stories and insights,
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